Coin roll pick-up conveyor

ABSTRACT

A plurality of coin wrapping machines are arranged so that each delivers sequential rolls of coins to a tiltable cradle associated therewith and which is caused to tilt at a controlled time to drop the roll onto a common conveyor apparatus having a fixed surface, the rolls are dropped immediately behind pushers on roller chains rollable on the surface. Spaced pushers on the chains are far enough apart to accommodate a roll from each machine so that each roll drops directly onto the surface even though other rolls are in the same space between adjacent pushers. An open grid below each cradle permits loose coins to pass through the conveyor system but retains unbroken rolls. Overhead tracks guide the roller chains along upwardly curved portions of the surface.

limited States Patent 191 Black et all. I

1451 July 23, 1974 COllN ROLL PICK-UP CONVEYOR [75] Inventors: Thomas J. Black, Vienna; Frank L.

Bennett, Chantilly, both of Va.

[73] Assignee: Universal Machine Company, Inc.,

Falls Church, Va.

[22] Filed: Oct. 30, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 411,147

[52] US. Cl 209/73, 209/98, 198/173 [51] Int. Cl B07c [58] Field 01 Search 133/8 A, 8 E; 53/212,213;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,516,902 11/1924 Anderson et al. 53/212 1,885,935 11/1932 McAllister 198/172 X 1,893,990 1/1933 Grover 53/212 2,918,766 12/1959 Rigier et al.. 198/174 X 3,608,271 9/1971 Pilat 53/212 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bacon & Thomas [5 7 ABSTRACT A plurality of coin wrapping machines are arranged so that each delivers sequential rolls of coins to a tiltable cradle associated therewith and which is caused to tilt at a controlled time to drop the roll onto a common conveyor apparatus having a fixed surface, the rolls are dropped immediately behind pushers on roller chains rollable on the surface. Spaced pushers on the chains are far enough apart to accommodate a roll from each machine so that each roll drops directly onto the surface even though other rolls are in the same space between adjacent pushers. An open grid below each cradle permits loose coins to pass through the conveyor system but retains unbroken rolls. Overhead tracks guide the roller chains along upwardly curved portions of the surface.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PM'ENTED JUL 2 3 I974 SHEET 1 BF 3 mminwm 5.8252115 v sum 2 or 3 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is in the field of special purpose conveyors, particularly conveyors forreceiving and conveying rolls of coins in predetermined arrangement.

The use of high speed machinery for processing coins is increasing and systems employing multiple processing machines are coming into use. Among the growing uses of such systems is the use of a line or'row of coin wrapping machines which receive loose coins of a single denomination, count them and package them in the usual rolls. Such machines deliver their rolled product to a conveyor or the like by which they are conveyed to a station where, by manual means or otherwise, the rolls of coins are packaged. i

It has been the usual practice to have all of the wrapping machines of a row deliver their coin rolls to a conventional endless belt type conveyor for delivery to a packing station. However, the rolls were more or less haphazardly deposited on the conveyor and in many instances the rolls were oriented in diverse directions and some rolls even would rest on top of others. Such an arrangement necessitated additional hand labor at the packing station to reorient and arrange the rolls for packing. In addition, it is usually necessary to deliver the rolled coins from the bottom of the wrapping machine to a conveyor at a low level and then to convey the coins alongmultiple conveyors to an elevatedstation where they would be'readily accessible to the packers. The prior practice involved additional conveyor belts or elevators and extra manual labor to arrange the coins in proper array for packing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 7 The present invention comprises a conveyor system for receiving rolls of coins from a multiplicity of coin wrapping machines and in which means are provided so 1 that all rolls of coins are deposited on the conveyor in a properly transversely oriented direction and a roll is BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a system employing a plurality of coin wrapping machines, a conveyor and a packing station;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken in the region denoted by the dotted line rectangle 5 of FIG. 1; and

2 FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, there are schematically shown therein apair of coin wrapping machines generally designated 2. his to be understood that in the usual system additional coin wrapping machines will be present, all of which are fed with coins by a-suitable conveyor means 4. Each of the coin wrapping machines'Z deposits its rolls of coins onto a conveyor system generally designated 6 and on a generally horizontal portion 8 thereof. The horizontal portion 8 of the conveyor system extends to a transition portion 10 where it curves upwardly and joins an upwardly slopingportion 12 extending upwardly to a suitable level at a delivery station generally designated 14.

The details of construction'of the conveyor 4, the coin wrapping machines 2 and the features of the delivery station 14 will not be described in detail since they constitute no part of the present invention. However, each of the coin wrapping machines 2 includes a base portion 16 (only schematically shown in FIG. 1) which will be referred to later.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the coins wrapped by each machine 2 are discharged therefrom through an outlet chute 18 which, as shown in FIG. 2, is downwardly and laterally curved to guide rolls of coins therealong onto an upwardly concave cradle device 20.

The cradle device 20 is a portion of a cylinder and is secured at one end to a supporting member 22 having ashaft 24 journalled in bearing 26 on a stationary portion of the machine 2. The axis of the shaft 24 is preferably coincident with the axis of the cylinder defined by the cradle 20 but in any event is substantially above the cradle 20. r

' The cradle 20 is normally in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein it can receive and hold a roll of coins designated 28. As is evident from FIG. 2, the rolls of coins slide down the chute l8 and enter the open end of the cradle 20 and are brought to rest thereon when they impinge a cushioning means or the like 30 constituting a portion of the structure 22.

A- rotary solenoid 32 is drivingly connected to the shaft 24 and when energized, by passing a suitable current therethrough by means of conductors 34, the rotary solenoid rotates the shaft 24 through a partial revolution and then returns to its normal position. Such rotary solenoids are conventional and well known and need not be further described. It will be apparent that actuation of the rotary solenoid 32 will cause the cradle 20 to rotate about the axis of shaft 24 and such action takes place at a relatively high speed so that the cradle is, in effect, drawn out from under the roll 28 and the same is then permitted to drop downwardly on the horizontal portion 8 of the conveyor system 6. It is to be noted that the roll of coins 28 dropped from the cradle 20 is accurately oriented to extend transversely of the conveyor. The cradle 20 and solenoid 32 thus constitute a coin roll release means.

The conveyor system constituting the principal subject of this invention comprises a pair of inwardly facing channel members 36 supported on suitable supporting means 38 mounted on the base structure 16 of the coin wrapping machines. Obviously, however, the conveyor system could be supported in the described position by any other suitable support means.

The upper surfaces of the upper and lower flanges 35 and 37 of channel members 36 define trackways for the guidance of the movable portions of the conveyor. Extending between the upper flanges 35 of the channel members 36 is a fixed plate member 40 extending the full length of the conveyor system and defining a stationary bed surface onto which the rolls of coins 28 drop from the cradle 20. An endless roller chain designated generally at 42 extends along each of the upper and lower flanges referred to, with its upper or conveying run on flange 35 and its return run on flange 37. Such roller chains are well known and comprise pivotally joined side links 44 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) arranged in laterally spaced pairs with pivot pins 46 extending therebetween. Journalled on the pivot pins 46 are freely rotatable rollers 48 of a diameter greater than the width of the links 44 whereby the rollers roll along and on the trackways defined by flanges 35 and 37. Means (not shown) cause both laterally spaced roller chains to move in synchronism. It will be obvious that any sprockets engaging the chains for guiding and driving purposes must have spaces between the teeth thereof of a size and shape to conform to the peripheries of the rollers 48.

At spaced positions along each of the laterally spaced chains 42 the pins 46 support inwardly directed arms 50, which are bent upwardly at their inner ends to define upstanding pushers 52. As is best shown in FIG. 3, the pushers 52 are arranged in pairs and provided with upstanding forward edges 54 and downwardly and rearwardly sloping rear edges 56. Preferably, the upstanding edges 54 are provided with suitable cushioning means 58 to minimize damage to coin wrappers engaged thereby. As shown, arms 50 extend inwardly from both chains and the pusher members 52 are spaced apart in position to engage rolls of coins 28 resting on the surface of bed layer 40 to push the same along as the endless chains are caused to move along their trackways which define a predetermined conveyor path.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, one of the chains 42 is provided with an outwardly extending projection 60 directly opposite each pusher 52 thereon and a control switch 62 is mounted on a fixed position of the apparatus so that its actuating arm 64 extends into the path of movement of the projections 60. The control switch 62 is effective to complete a circuit (not shown) to the rotary solenoid 32, previously described, to activate the same.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the control switch 62 is shown mounted on the frame of the apparatus at such position that its actuating finger 64 will be engaged by projections 60 and moved to switch closing position when the next following pusher is substantially below or just past the cradle of an associated coin wrapping machine 2. Thus, the rotary solenoid 32 is actuated to drop a roll of coins from its cradle 20 at a time when a pusher 52 is substantially directly therebelow. The roll of coins thus dropped can engage the sloping edges 56 of the pushers to ensure that the roll of coins drops onto the surface 40 immediately or directly behind a pusher 52.

While not shown, it is contemplated that each of the coin wrapping machines 2 will be provided with a further control switch or the like, responsive to a roll of coins delivered to chute 18, to condition the circuit means for its solenoid 32 for actuation only after a roll of coins has been dropped from the macine to the chute 18, so that a solenoid 32 will not be actuated by switch 62 unless there is in fact a roll of coins thereon.

The pushers 52 are spaced along the chains 42 in equal increments and the spacing between the pushers is such that a number of rolls of coins may rest on the plate 40 between each pair of pushers, that number being at least equal to the number of coin wrapping machines depositing their rolls on the conveyor. Thus, the first machine to deposit a roll of coins on the plate 40 will deposit that roll on the plate a substantial distance ahead of the next succeeding pusher 52. The roll of coins merely rests quiescently on the plate 40 until the next pushers arrive at which time the roll is engaged and caused to move frictionally along the plate 40. It is to be noted that even if the roll of coins were so dropped that it did not extend truly transversely across the conveyor, the laterally spaced pushers 52 would ensure that the roll'is straightened to extend truly transversely before it is caused to move along. Obviously, all the coins being pushed by any laterally spaced pair of pushers-will all be frictionally restrained by plate 40 to occupy only the rear portion of the space between longitudionally spaced pushers. Since each roll of coins is dropped immediately behind a pair of laterally spaced pushers, the roll of coins will always drop onto the plate 40 in a region not occupied by any other roll of coins and thus no roll can drop on top of the other rolls and all the rolls are delivered to the delivery station in a parallel and abutting array.

In the event that the wrapper for a particular roll of coins may be defective or if for some reason the roll becomes broken and the loose coins dropped onto the conveyor system, such loose coins could interfere with the proper operation of the apparatus. As shown in the drawings, immediately below each cradle 20, the plate 40 is provided with an opening 66 (see FIG. 4). As best seen in FIG. 3, the longitudional end edges of the opening 66 are bent downwardly and inwardly to define flanges 68. A pair of grid bars 70, defining an open grid, extend longitudionally of the conveyor 8, as seen in FIG. 4, and their bevelled end edges are secured to the flanges 68 to hold them in the fixed position shown. In the event a roll of coins bursts or in some other manner discharges loose coins, those coins will drop through the opening between grid bars 70 or between a bar 70 and a lateral edge of the opening 66 where they can drop through a further opening 72 in the apparatus to any suitable collection receptacle. In most instances, loose paper of the wrappers will also drop through the openings 66 and 72 but, in any event, an attendant may readily remove the paper from the apparatus. The grid bars 70 will receive and support complete rolls of coins for movement by the conveyor in the described manner since the bars 70, that is their upper edges, are coextensive with the supporting surface of plate 40.

As previously described, the conveyor system includes the generally horizontal portion 8 to which the foregoing description has been particularly directed and reference was made to an upwardly curved transition portion 10 and an upwardly sloping portion 12. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the roller chains 42 extend continuously along the horizontal portion 8, the transition portion 10 and the sloping portion 12 but since the upper run of the roller chains merely rest on the upper flanges 35, means must be provided to maintain that contact through the transition portion otherwise, the chain would lift from the plate due to the driving tensions therein. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, side plates 74 support upper curved track members 76 in position to engage the tops of the rollers 48 in the transition zone 10 and thus guide the chains 42 along the surface of the plate 40. The track members 76, however, extend over the chains only. The lower or return runs of the chains 42 are trained over sprocket wheels 78 secured to opposite ends of a cross shaft 80 at the transition zone and thus ensure that the return run will not rise and engage the bottom of the plate 40 or otherwise leave its intended path of travel. The details of the guiding and reversal of the chain 42 at the delivery station 14 and at the opposite end of the conveyor are not shown since such means will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art as will any suitable manner of effecting drive to the chains.

It is not necessary to specifically describe the electrical circuits for the switch 62, solenoid 32 and/or the further control switches on'machines 2 since many suitable circuits will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the upper edge portions of the plates 74 are turned inwardly over the chains 42 then downwardly, as at 82, nearly to. the level of the arms 50 to form a protective shield for the chains and to guide coin rolls 28 to the mid portion of the plate 40.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, the-same is merely illustrative of the principles involved and other embodiments may be employed within the scope of applicants invention. While specific reference is made herein to coin wrapping machines, it is to be understood that the conveyor system claimed herein may be employed with other machines for processing rolls of coins, other than specifically wrapping the same.

We claim:

1. A conveyor system for receiving rolls of coins from a plurality of coin wrapping machines and conveying them along a path to a delivery station, comprising:

a stationary bed having an upper surface extending along said path adjacent each of a plurality of coin wrapping machines;

conveyor means movable along said path and having spaced pushers extending over said surface to push rolls of coins therealong; the distance between adjacent pushers being sufficiently great to accommodate therebetween, in a single layer, a roll of coins from each of said machines; and

release means for depositing a roll of coins from each machine onto said surface immediately behind a pusher.

2. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 including control means responsive to the position of a pusher along said path for activating said release means.

3. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said release means comprises:

an upwardly concave elongated cradle above said conveyor system and extending transversely thereacross; means for directing a roll of coins from an associated machine onto said cradle, and means for at least partially rotating said cradle about an axis thereover to dump a roll of coins therefrom onto said surface.

4. A conveyor system as defined in claim 3 wherein said cradle defines a portion of a cylinder and wherein said axis substantially coincides with the axis of said cylinder, said cradle having means at one end thereof supporting it for rotation about said axis, the other end of said cradle being open, and said directing means being arranged to direct rolls of coins axially into said open end. i

5. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said pushers eachcomprise a pair of laterally spaced upstanding portions having upright forward edges and downwardly and rearwardly sloping rear edges.

6. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said bed is provided with an opening therethrough below each of said release means, grid means extending across said opening, coextensive with said surface, and having openings therethrough large enough to permit loose coins to fall through said openings but small enough to'hold rolls of coins at said surface.

7. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprises laterally spaced roller chains extending along each side of said path and rollably supported by said surface, said pushers comprising arms on said chains extending inwardly therefrom.

8. A conveyor system as defined in claim 7 including an outwardly extending projection on at least one chain, opposite a pusher thereon, and a control switch adjacent said path and having a movable actuator in the path of movement of said projection, said control switch being arranged to activate said release means.

9. A conveyor system as defined in claim 7 wherein said path and said surface extend along a generally horizontal first portion past said machines then along an upwardly curved transition portion tangent to said first portion and along an upwardly sloping portion, tangent to said transition portion, to said delivery station; and a curved track member spaced above said transition portion over each of said chains only, to guide said chains along said surface at said transition portion. 

1. A conveyor system for receiving rolls of coins from a plurality of coin wrapping machines and conveying them along a path to a delivery station, comprising: a stationary bed having an upper surface extending along said path adjacent each of a plurality of coin wrapping machines; conveyor means movable along said path and having spaced pushers extending over said surface to push rolls of coins therealong, the distance between adjacent pushers being sufficiently great to accommodate therebetween, in a single layer, a roll of coins from each of said machines; and release means for depositing a roll of coins from each machine onto said surface immediately behind a pusher.
 2. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 including control means responsive to the position of a pusher along said path for activating said release means.
 3. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said release means comprises: an upwardly concave elongated cradle above said conveyor system and extending transversely thereacross; means for directing a roll of coins from an associated machine onto said cradle, and means for at least partially rotating said cradle about an axis thereover to dump a roll of coins therefrom onto said surface.
 4. A conveyor system as defined in claim 3 wherein said cradle defines a portion of a cylinder and wherein said axis substantially coincides with the axis of said cylinder, said cradle having means at one end thereof supporting it for rotation about said axis, the other end of said cradle being open, and said directing means being arranged to direct rolls of coins axially into said open end.
 5. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said pushers each comprise a pair of laterally spaced upstanding portions having upright forward edges and downwardly and rearwardly sloping rear edges.
 6. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said bed is provided with an opening therethrough below each of said release means, grid means extending across said opening, coextensive with said surface, and having openings therethrough large enough to permit loose coins to fall through said openings but small enough to hold rolls of coins at said surface.
 7. A conveyor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprises laterally spaced roller chains extending along each side of said path and rollably supported by said surface, said pushers comprising arms on said chains extending inwardly therefrom.
 8. A conveyor system as defined in claim 7 including an outwardly extending projection on at least one chain, opposite a pusher thereon, and a control switch adjacent said path and having a movable actuator in the path of movement of said projection, said control switch being arranged to activate said release means.
 9. A conveyor system as defined in claim 7 wherein said path and said surface extend along a generally horizontal first portion past said machines then along an upwardly curved transition portion tangent to said first portion and along an upwardly sloping portion, tangent to said transition portion, to said delivery station; aNd a curved track member spaced above said transition portion over each of said chains only, to guide said chains along said surface at said transition portion. 